Castle Road Cycle Route

Mannheim is a city in the northwest corner of the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany, at the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar rivers. It is close to Ludwigshafen.

Understand

Mannheim was a small fishing village before it became a city at the beginning of the 17th century. It was constructed on the site of a fortress guarding the confluence of the rivers Rhine and Neckar. Even now, a few remnants of the fortification can be seen, and the peculiar street layout owes to that part of its history. For 58 years, Mannheim served as a royal residence, and gave Schiller, Lessing, Goethe and Mozart a home for some time. Before World War II,Mannheim was a beautiful city, but was flattened in bomb raids due to its industrial significance. When it was time to rebuild the city, Mannheim, like many other German cities, opted for an all out modern approach to urban development. Thus, most of the old quarters were replaced by buildings typical of the 1950s. If you are not an adept to architecture, their appeal might not be easy to grasp. As a result, the impression is more of an industrial city with a few spots of beauty.

Modern Mannheim is the second biggest city in Baden-Württemberg and one of the hotspots of immigration. Because of that you'll encounter a lively and colorful mixture of nationalities and cultures in the city. The Mannheim/Heidelberg area hosts the largest concentration of US military personnel in Germany, and barracks are found in many of the suburbs.

See

• ⊙Water tower (Wasserturm), Friedrichsplatz. One of the most famous icons of the Jugendstil (Arte-Nouveau style) in Germany, the water tower (and small park surrounding it) is a great place to sit in the summer for a picnic or just a little rest. The park is surrounded by the Rosengarten, a conference hall of reddish brick, and the colors on a sunny day are amazing. 
• ⊙Mannheim Palace (Barockschloss Mannheim), Bismarckstraße (It is right next to the main train station.),  ☎ +49 6221 658880. part of the University of Mannheim 
• ⊙Paradeplatz (the center of the city, pedestrians-only). A small park, surrounded by shops, restaurants and everything you can imagine. 
• ⊙Konkordienkirche. (church): With about 92 meters the tower of the church is the highest one in Mannheim. 
• ⊙Christuskirche, Werderplatz 15,  ☎ +49 621 43031920. (church): The original Steinmeyer Organ with about 8000 pipes is one of the biggest within Germany and was built in 1911. 
• ⊙Luisenpark, Theodor-Heuss-Anlage 2,  ☎ +49 621 410050. entrance to one side is free, but there is a charge to enter the other side.

Museums

• ⊙Reiss-Engelhorn Museum,  ☎ +49 621 2933150. At D5 and C5 (see above for explanation of downtown addresses), the REM houses a permanent exhibit on world cultures along with an exhibition hall whose contents range from photography to astronomy. 
• ⊙Technoseum (Museum of Technology), Museumsstraße 1,  ☎ +49 621 42989. The Technomuseum displays various tools and machines from different times. 
• ⊙Kunsthalle (Art Gallery), Friedrichsplatz 4,  ☎ +49 621 2936452.